Improvement in metal-lath machines



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W. M. PARKER. Metal Lath-Mao-hine. N0. 20%,956. Patented April 30,1878.

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W. M. PARKER. Metal Lath-Machine. No. 202,956. Patented April 30,1878.

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N. PEYERS. FNOTO-UYHOGHAPWER. WASMNGTQN 0 C UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

WESLEY M. PARKER, OF RUSHVILLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN METAL-LATH MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,956, dated April30, 1878; application filed September 15, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WESLEY M. PARKER, of Itushville, in the county ofSchuyler and State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Machines for Making Metal Laths and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures of referencemarked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal verticalsection of my machine for making metal laths. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical sectional view; and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are details thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a machine for making metal laths of that class in which a sheet ofmetal is formed with a number of series of vertical alternating slots,the metal removed at each slot remaining fast along one side, andstanding at an angle of about fortyfive degrees, more or less, behindthe slot, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawings, to which reference is made, fully illustrate myinvention.

A represents the bed of my machine, supported upon suitable legs or endpieces. In the bed A is a rectangular opening of any suitabledimensions, below which is placed a horizontal roller, G, in such amanner that its upper surface will be level'with the top surface of thebed. This roller has its journal-bearings in suitable boxes in the endpieces, and upon the end of one of the journals may be attached a crankfor rotating the same; or the machine may be operated by any suitablepower by attaching a belt-pulley to said rollerjournal.

The roller (3 is provided with a series of circumferential grooves, inwhich are inserted segmental cutters b b and punches at a. Each cutter bhas one vertical side and one sloping or inclined side, as shown, so asto cut an elongated slot in the sheet metal, and bend a lip out of themetal,to stand behind the slot at an angle of forty-five degrees, moreor less. The distance between the cutters in the same groove and thedistance between the cuttingedges of the cutters in adjacent grooves isto be exactly one-third the length of the cutter; or, in other words,the slots cut in the metal will be three times as long as the spacebetween the slots in the same series and adjacent series. Thisproportion is very essential in properly forming the slots in the sheetto make them alternate in proper order. Midway between the cutters inthe same groove is fast ened a punch, a, for making the holes for thenails to fasten the metal sheet in place to receive the plastering.

Above the roller 0 is another roller, D, formed with a series ofcircumferential grooves, 01 d, corresponding with the cutters b. Thisroller D has its journal-bearings in suitable boxes placed in standardson the ends of the bed A. and the two rollers O and D are connectedtogether by means of cog-wheels E E, so that the rotation of the lowerroller 0 will impart the necessary motion to the upper roller D.

The sheet metal is fed into these rollers over a stationary horizontalframe, G, the metal resting upon rollers e e, mounted in said frame. Toears or lugs projecting upward from each side, at the inner end of theframe G, is hinged or pivoted a top frame, G, also provided with anumber of rollers, e e, projecting beyond its lower surface.

The object of the upper frame G is to straighten the sheet metal beforeit reaches the rollers by bringing said frame down upon the metal whenit is laid on the frame G. The frame G does not take out any bulges orbends there may be in the sheet metal, but simply straightens it for thetime being, so that it will enter perfectly true between the rollers GD, and not have one side or corner enter before the other.

In the center of the stationary feed-frame G is a slide, H, having alug, f, above the surface of the frame. In front of this lug, within theslide, is a hinged dog, h, which is operated from underneath by aneccentriclever, I. The rear edge of the sheet metal is inserted underthe lug f, and then held by forcing the dog It upward by means of theeccentric-lever I, to prevent the sheet metal from slipping.

The rollers e e in the frames G G are simply to prevent the sheet metaldragging on the frames and thus reduce friction. The sheetmetal is nowfed by hand in between the rollers- O and I), where the slots .r, lipsy, and nail-holes z are formed therein. At the same time cross-slits arecut at suitable intervals in one edge of the sheet metal by means ofcutters i 'i fastened 011 the lower roller 0 at one end, while the upperroller 1) has corresponding grooves, as shown.

In front of the rollers U I), along the edge of the bed A, is a frame,J, throughwhich the sheet metal passes after it leaves said rollers. Inthis frame are arranged a series of vertical shafts, 12, carrying upontheir lower ends rollers m, which are so adjusted as to take hold of andbend the lips 31 to the proper angle, substantially as shown.

After leaving these horizontal rollers m m, the metal sheet passesbetween two series of bars, L L, and out through a curved opening, 7;,in a board or frame, K, so that the sheet will emerge from the machinein a curved form, with the lips y projecting from the convex side of thesheet. The bars L L contain rollers i 5, between which the sheet metalpasses, so as not to touch the bars and create unnecessary friction. ThebarsL L are at their endshinged to slotted plates 1) p, which areadjustably secured to the frames J and K.

The object of adjusting these bars up and down is to give the metalsheet more or less curve, as required, according to the quality of metalused. The center bars need never be changed, but from the center towardboth ends the bars are to be adjusted up or down, as required. As aconsequence of this, the slot 7; in the center need only be wide enoughfor the passage of the metal sheet, but then gradually increase in widthtoward both ends, so as to allow of the passage of the sheet through it,whether more or less curved.

The object of thus curving the sheet is to prevent any bulging of thesa1ne,either inward orupward, when fastened in place. The center of thesheet is first nailed fast, and then the ends, which curve outward, arepressed back and nailed fast, making the sheet perfectly straight andeven for plastering. On the side of the bar or frame J facing the mainrollers U l) is a series of small rollers, s s, for guiding the sheetinto said bar or frame.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for making metal laths, the roller 0, provided with aseries of segmental cutters, I), each cutter having one of its sidesvertical and the other side sloping or inclined, and having arrangedabout midway between the cutters, in the same vertical plane, thepunches a, as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

2. In a machine for making metal laths, a device constructedsubstantially as described, arranged in front of the cutting or punchingdies, for the purpose of straightening the metal before it reaches thedies.

3. The combination of the stationary frame G with rollers e and thehinged top frame G, with rollers e, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

4. The slide H, provided with thelug f, dog 71, and eccentric-lever I,in combination with the frames G and G, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. The combination, with the rollers C D, constructed substantially asdescribed, of a frame, J, having a series of vertical shafts, n,carrying upon their lower ends rollers m, for the purpose of bending thelips of the lath to the desired angle, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the two series of bars L, provided with rollers i,and hinged to the adjustable plates 19, and the board or frame K, havingcurved slot k, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

WESLEY M. PARKER.

\Vitnesscs:

(J. I. NoRBURY, B. II. PHILIPPI.

